Texas inmate wants to tell a joke at his execution

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

People are going on about the cost to execute these people. What about the cost to keep them in prison for 25 years or more? A life for a life is what I think, and the sooner the better. The whole world should have the death penalty, as I think even the threat of it would be a detterant for some criminals. JMO.

Statistically its not a deterrant. Otherwise the US would have the lowest capital crime rate in the world...

That is an unfair and unsupported assessment, given that the US has the 3rd largest population in the world. Do you actually believe China and India release accurate figures, in terms of murder rates? I think not.

Whether or not you think its unfair, the DP is not a deterrent.

I said unfair and unsupported. Provide some evidence or statistical data, to support your assertion. Otherwise, it is just another opinion against capital punishment.

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

[William33 110]

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

Present evidence to support your assertion that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

On China and India, my point is that there are insufficient data points to analyze.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

Present evidence to support your assertion that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

On China and India, my point is that there are insufficient data points to analyze.

Knock yourself out.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.ph...=12&did=167

[homesick_american 1]

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

Present evidence to support your assertion that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

[Jenn! 918]

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

Present evidence to support your assertion that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

While I agree that the death penalty is not a deterrent, I don't believe that figures like this support the argument. One could say that the homicide rate in a DP state would be even higher if there were no death penalty. I don't have any such figures to present, but I think statistics comparing homicide rates in a given state before and after implementation of the death penalty would be better evidence.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What specifically? That the DP is not a deterrent, or your implied assertion that countries like China, which have draconian laws and punishments have a lower capital crime rates?

Present evidence to support your assertion that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

While I agree that the death penalty is not a deterrent, I don't believe that figures like this support the argument. One could say that the homicide rate in a DP state would be even higher if there were no death penalty. I don't have any such figures to present, but I think statistics comparing homicide rates in a given state before and after implementation of the death penalty would be better evidence.

That site I linked to has qutie a lot of info on the current state of research - as well as its limitations.

[homesick_american 1]

While I agree that the death penalty is not a deterrent, I don't believe that figures like this support the argument. One could say that the homicide rate in a DP state would be even higher if there were no death penalty. I don't have any such figures to present, but I think statistics comparing homicide rates in a given state before and after implementation of the death penalty would be better evidence.

That would be difficult, since states tend to abolish the death penalty rather than revive it.

[William33 110]

It all comes down to perception. There is no logical way to accurately validate whether or not capital punishment is a viable deterrent, domestically or internationally. There are just too many variables to consider.

In my world, capital punishment is proper justice for certain crimes. Many will fall on the other side of the fence with this issue. I am ok with that too.

[homesick_american 1]

It all comes down to perception. There is no logical way to accurately validate whether or not capital punishment is a viable deterrent, domestically or internationally. There are just too many variables to consider.

In my world, capital punishment is proper justice for certain crimes. Many will fall on the other side of the fence with this issue. I am ok with that too.

I disagree...I think it's extremely obvious that the death penalty is not a deterrent. Some of America's most violent cities/towns are in my home state of Texas, which has virtually an assembly-line approach to capital punishment. Houston is extremely violent and Harris County sends more prisoners to death row than any other county in Texas. The last thing on a murderer's mind when he/she pulls the trigger is, "Boy, I hope they don't execute me for this."

[trueimage 0]

But he will never pull the trigger again............................

[Jenn! 918]

But he will never pull the trigger again............................

Well, if that's what people mean when they say he death penalty is a deterrent, then well yes, it definitely is.

[William33 110]

It all comes down to perception. There is no logical way to accurately validate whether or not capital punishment is a viable deterrent, domestically or internationally. There are just too many variables to consider.

In my world, capital punishment is proper justice for certain crimes. Many will fall on the other side of the fence with this issue. I am ok with that too.

I disagree...I think it's extremely obvious that the death penalty is not a deterrent. Some of America's most violent cities/towns are in my home state of Texas, which has virtually an assembly-line approach to capital punishment. Houston is extremely violent and Harris County sends more prisoners to death row than any other county in Texas. The last thing on a murderer's mind when he/she pulls the trigger is, "Boy, I hope they don't execute me for this."

Your perception at work here.

[homesick_american 1]

But he will never pull the trigger again............................

In the extremely unlikely event that he's actually tried for capital murder, he maybe has a 30%-50% chance of his sentence actually being carried out. The vast majority of murders in Texas are NOT tried as capital offenses. Murder in and of itself is not actually a capital offense in Texas.

The following crimes are Capital Murder in Texas: murder of a public safety officer or firefighter; murder during the commission of kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, arson, or obstruction or retaliation; murder for remuneration; murder during prison escape; murder of a correctional employee; murder by a state prison inmate who is serving a life sentence for any of five offenses (murder, capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, or aggravated robbery); multiple murders; murder of an individual under six years of age.

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/drowfacts.htm

Your perception at work here.

More like reality.

[William33 110]

Your perception at work here.

More like reality.

Once again, this is a global perspective of capital punishment, with respect to deterrent value.

I know Harris County quite well, that ain't global.

Edited June 5, 2007 by William33

[homesick_american 1]

Your perception at work here.

More like reality.

Once again, this is a global perspective of capital punishment, with respect to deterrent value.

I know Harris County quite well, that ain't global.

So, when are you going to actually ante up and provide the smoking gun for your theory that the death penalty is a deterrent? Nothing from the Heritage Foundation, please.